MAudio Keystation 88 Pro 88-Key Controller

dubcotics · Post by **dubcotics** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:41 pm

hi fellas!
Does any of you has ever tried it, if yes, is it compatible with scope devices? Need some feed back as I'm planning to get one for christmas, thanks in advance.

scary808 · Post by **scary808** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 4:53 pm

It's an EXCELLENT controller. It's on my list of things to get too. The action of the keys is comparable to high-end workstations. AFAIK the knobs & such send MIDI CC data so it's totally ready for your Minimax...

ChampionSound · Post by **ChampionSound** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 6:20 pm

I've never seen this controller keyboard before, but I've searched for some more info, and it definately looks interesting!

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 7:09 pm

I tried it in the store. I love the feel of it and the price.

ChampionSound · Post by **ChampionSound** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:07 pm

But on the other hand, 88 weighted keys are too much for me, because I don't (know how to) play a real piano. And maybe 88 weighted keys are a bit overdone for making just dance music in my case. If they had the same one with 49 or 61 non weighted "plastic" keys, it could have worked for me. All the controllers (with snapshot function too) look very nice though

For others this looks like a great deal, especially looking at the price.

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:17 pm

Fully weighted doesn't suit me either, but their range looks good:

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=pro ... ontrollers

Maybe a semi-weighted 88-key ?
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/K ... -main.html

No knobs to twiddle on that one, but 88 keys is a luxury

dehuszar · Post by **dehuszar** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:50 pm

I am really happy with mine. The action is more semi-weighted than weighted. I was originally torn between getting a Yamaha P90 with AMAZING weighted action for more than twice the price of the K-88, or just get the K-88 and pick up the East West Bosendorfer. I went with the latter and while the K-88 isn't truly weighted keys, it's effin sweet.

If you really want the plasticy keys, it might not disappoint you, but they are enough like a piano action that you should try one out before you buy. Really the best deal for what you pay. The knobs and faders aren't obnoxiously cheap as I had anticipated.

Sam

Ben Walker · Post by **Ben Walker** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 7:12 am

Must admit I've been very tempted with this myself, although I'm waiting to see if I win one through a Sound On Sound competition first.

Anyone know if it has aftertouch? I doubt it, but I've played weighted keys which do (eg, Korg Triton).

Ben

Immanuel · Post by **Immanuel** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 7:15 am

I think you can in general be very shure, that the manufacturer would tell it in the adds, if it has aftertouch.

wolf · Post by **wolf** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 7:57 am

I had the "joy" of having to test this thing about half a year ago.
The only advantage I could see were the 9 faders, which are very usefull for organ players (most keyboards only have 8, which is one too less for organs).
The velocity range felt very strange, it was either to loud or to quite and nearly impossible to play with a good dynamic. Then it sometimes spit out velocity 127, if too many keys were hit.
But the most disturbing thing were the keys itself, where it seemed they forgot to grind the "lips" of the keys, which can easily hurt the fingers and gives a strange feeling e.g. when playing octaves with one hand or gliding on them.
Of course all this might be changed inbetween and is the view from me as prof. and long time piano player.

best
Wolfgang

_________________
<a href="http://www.worldless.com/sfp">wolf audio design</a>
<a href="http://www.worldless.com">worldless productions</a>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: wolf on 2004-12-16 08:02 ]</font>

Music Manic · Post by **Music Manic** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 11:01 am

Anyone tried novation remote?

dubcotics · Post by **dubcotics** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 3:12 pm

hi fellas,
thanks very much indeed for all your replies, I've had a good persepctive of this device, specially from wolf as he is a piano player. Now I get the picture, I'll have to wait untill I test it my self, again thanks everybody.

decimator · Post by **decimator** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 4:14 pm

No aftertouch, I'am afraid ...
3 pages of in depth review in the December issue of Recording Musicien ( France ) I'am not gonna translate the whole thing so if you want some precise answers ...
No notes but + and - listed and they are quite picky !

dehuszar · Post by **dehuszar** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:09 am

I haven't noticed any velocity issues. The 8-layer piano banks from the Bosendorfer sound fantastic (even though they eat my system resources like cheerios -another GB of RAM is needed, sigh). And I've had the velocity listings in Cubase all over the vertical range. It's not chopping them off in any way.

Sam

dehuszar · Post by **dehuszar** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:19 am

I've got the Novation ReMote25 as well. It's kewl, but of course it's designed for a much different kind of playing. Fewer keys, fewer knobs, too. The keys are plasticy though!

Sam

dubcotics · Post by **dubcotics** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 5:56 am

hi,
DECIMATOR could you send me the file in french puisque que je parle aussi français, je te remercie d'avance.

decimator · Post by **decimator** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 1:15 pm

No problem dubcotics but not before Monday since I have no scanner at home !

Herr Voigt · Post by **Herr Voigt** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 7:35 pm

Keystation 88 pro has definitely no aftertouch. It's a pity, but so it helps to reduce the amount of MIDI data.

I accustomed to the semi-weighted keys. Well, I have a FATAR 1100 too, the keys feel very good and are great for prof. piano playing, but the electronic part sucks! Though I sent it 2 x to repair, the dynamic grew very non-equal; some keys work only when I play velocity 65 or higher! So a pianissimo part is nearly impossible.
To play organ choruses, the KS 88 is great! And if you want to use the aftertouch function, turn knob B32.
I found a velocity curve matching to my piano-playing usage.
And the price is nearly unbeatable.

ronnie · Post by **ronnie** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 9:58 pm

I know this is a very subjective area. (When I bought my acoustic piano I spent the whole day at the Baldwin factory in NYC until I found the ONE - and 30 years later I'm still in love!). I found the Keystation Pro 88 too bouncy and shaky for my taste. Maybe that was just the one on demo at my local Sam Ash. I picked up a Kurzweil SPX-88X from AMS for $679 (refurb with full warranty) and I am very satisfied with the touch. It's solid and has a nice bottom feel. I thought it was better for my playing style. True, I don't get the DAW features but I use a BCF2000 for live and a SAC 2K in the studio so I don't miss them - I could also duplicate the DAW controls of the Pro 88 on my UC-33e if I wanted to. The Kurzweil uses a Young & Chang weighted keyboard which I find most like a real piano. It doesn't bounce and the two zones and 32 Kurzweil sounds and effects are a bonus (if everything crashes you've still got those - basic but they do sound pretty good if you back off the effects as they ship out of the box - too wet).

In the studio, with the Bardstown Bosendorfer plug - I am very pleased.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ronnie on 2004-12-25 22:00 ]</font>